Oblivion
by Coffee-And-Valentines
Summary: The after math of Mass Effect 3, shortly after the events of Mass Effect 3, Liara and the squad land on an unknown planet and struggle to find their footing. Liara's emotions falter, and the burden she carries with her threatens to bring her to a breaking point. Includes a compilation of smut short stories. Includes 'Cyber', an OC created by Gaster W.D.
1. Chapter 1

"Shepard!" Liara reached towards her lover. A sharp pain eloped her entire body, and she choked on the blood threatening to make its way up her throat. Her vision blurred momentarily and she stared up at her female lover with desperation. She vaguely felt herself being pulled off the ground and the void of the beacon flashed too bright for her sensitive eyes.

"Liara…" Shepard was carrying her. With Shepard in her view, Liara's mind eased and the world came back to her. She could feel Garrus pull her away.

"Shepard!" Liara pulled away from him, stumbling towards the Commander, "Shepard no! I'm… I'm coming with you." Liara looked up at Shepard pleadingly; taking in what they both knew could very well be their last moments together.

"Liara you're hurt." Shepard cradled the asari's face for a moment.

"I'm fine Shepard really-"Liara broke off as the blood creeped up her trachea again.

"Liara go!" Shepard yelled and backed away.

Liara watched as her love, her only true soulmate walked away from her. Tears poured down her cheeks, the physically pain no longer making a dent due to the mask of emotions that eloped her.

"Shepard…" Liara took one last glance, "I… I am yours."

Shepard's eyes met hers; there was no need for words.

"GO!" Shepard ordered sternly before running towards the beacon.

Garrus practically yanked Liara into the shuttle; her heart was too heavy for her feet to carry.

Liara and Garrus boarded the Normandy. Garrus pulled her towards the med bay, but Liara refused and ripped herself from him. She ran to the observation deck, the Catalyst was just in view. She turned her radio on.

"Did Shepard make it?" Liara almost cried into the radio.

"We don't know." An Alliance officer answered.

The radio chatter continued meaninglessly and as Liara waited every second felt like an eternity.

"Shepard is in! I repeat Shepard is in!" A voice rang out and Liara gasped, clutching her side with effort. She didn't notice the tears streaming down her face. Her side was bleeding badly, and she more than likely had numerous broken ribs. She dared not put pressure on her calf that was most defiantly broken, and her left shoulder was still dangling out of socket uselessly. None of this mattered at the moment.

All she needed was to know that Shepard was okay, that she was coming back to her.

Liara stared at the Catalyst with eager eyes. She prayed silently.

 _Please, please, please, goddess, she has to come back to me. She has to. I need her, she has to come back._

Liara continued this chant, when suddenly a small red orb grew from the center of the Catalyst. Liara's heart snapped in half.

"What? No… No!" Liara yelled and pressed her hands to the glass.

Garrus put his hand on her good shoulder.

"Liara we have to leave- NOW!" He attempted to force the asari to sit down.

"NO!" Liara pulled away from him, "No! Garrus- Shepard's in there!" Liara pounded on the glass once.

"Liara- we cant save her! We have to go!"

"No! Shepard!" Liara's vision was filled with a red glow and Garrus forced her to sit just as the Normandy hit the Sol Relay.

Liara watched as she leapt lightyears away from her dead other half.

Liara pressed her hand to her mouth, and screamed into her own palms.

The ship suddenly started to falter, Liara was jostled in her seat and Garrus's attempts to keep her seated failed. Liara was thrown into the side of the ship, and her world faded to black


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry for the short chapter guys, the original was so long I had to split a very small section of it off, the rest of the chapter should be up by tonight of tomorrow night**

* * *

After the crash Liara could only remember snap shots, and short moments during her state of unconsciousness.

Miranda looming over her, Jack's voice in the distance yelling, "Well is she gonna be okay or not, princess?"

Then, another small memory.

EDI, glancing down at Liara and smiling, and then looking up at Miranda with concern, a small blur of black followed by Miranda's voice. "She's….. no…. this can't be… " and a loud beep coming from the monitor. "EDI we have an emergency! Sedate her! Quickly! DO IT NOW!"

Other than the jumbled, confused information only dreams encapsulated her surprisingly peaceful sleep.

No not dreams.

Memories.

* * *

Liara's nerves pinched at her stomach, she double checked how she looked in the mirror. Triple checked. She had never considered herself particularly attractive in any way, her skin was a naturally plain blue and her eyes were slightly odd in a sense that they never seemed symmetrical. She had no unique marking or design besides two black 'eyebrows' inherited from her mother. Liara's lips were dark, and her head changed colors, a slightly lighter blue dominating her crest and creating an awkward complexion differential around her forehead.

As far as her body, well, there was nothing particularly special to see. Liara was fairly thin and sometimes felt skeletal in figure despite her average sized breasts and bust.

Liara just… didn't see anything special.

But when she thought about the Commander seeing something, her heart raced and her skin seemed even more sensitive to touch. Her stomach flipped and she could not help but smile in an oddly painful way that made her think she was going to cry.

She fixed her clothing once more and took a deep breath, she felt her body strain with nerves. She was not very good at these types of things, and why should she be? This had never happened before. All she knew was that she wanted Shepard and that this could very well be her last chance. She might not come back from this mission. Shepard might not either.

Liara walked through the seemingly endless corridors of the Normandy towards Shepard's cabin. She tried to steady her breath and relaxed her tense shoulders. She arrived at the door and took a good ten minutes to calm herself down enough to speak.

The door opened and Liara did her best to put a confident face on. Her heart leapt out of her chest and her palms were starting to sweat.


	3. Chapter 2 (Continued)

"Shepard? May I speak with you?" Liara spoke quietly.

The woman turned to look at her. Everything about Shepard dazzled the asari, her fire red hair, the forest green of her eyes, the way her broad shoulders gave way to strong arms and a soldier build. When Shepard stood she was a good three or four inches taller than Liara, the woman smiled at her, and this almost made Liara blush. Her skin tingled with longing and a strange warmth bloomed from her core and up her spine.

"I was just thinking about you." The Commander answered in a dark, sexy tone.

Liara wanted to take this moment without hesitation, but she had to be honest and realistic with Shepard, that was the only way Liara knew how to communicate. She could not help but feel slightly on edge, and she could not help her helpless pessimism.

"I have been thinking about you too… and what we are about to face. I do not know what is about to happen on Illos." Liara gulped, she hated not knowing what was going to happen, "I hope we will stop Saren, of course, but part of me fears we are already too late."

That was another thing Liara hated.

Being afraid.

"There is something I must tell you." Liara continued, looking at the woman. The strange mixture of feelings sitting anxiously between them. " In case we fail."

"We're not going to fail, I promise" Shepard attempted to ease Liara's mind.

But their chance of survival was small, and Liara was not one to be swayed from her logic by emotions.

"Please… I am not looking for comfort. Saren might already have the Conduit. It's time to be completely honest with each other." Liara looked up at the beautiful human sadly.

The asari continued, "These could be our last moments together, our last chance to show each other how we really feel. I want this to be special." Liara reminded herself to relieve the tension from her shoulders, and gazed into those mysterious emerald eyes. After everything they'd been through, after the countless times they'd save each other's lives in battle, this could be it.

Shepard moved closer, looking down at the asari with concern.

"We don't have to do this, not unless you're sure." The Commander said this with a certain gentleness.

"I have never been more sure of anything in my life." The asari moved closer to the human woman, her breath quickening and her hands shaking. Their bodies were barely inches away, and Liara could feel Shepard's body heat against her skin. "Will you join with me Shepard? Let our bodies and minds unite?" Liara smiled to herself before looking up at Shepard.

Shepard took one of Liara's hands in her own, the sensation sending a shiver through Liara's body. Her gloves prevented her skin from what they desired, and Liara became hungry for more.

"I thought you'd never ask." The woman smirked and linked Liara's fingers in her own.

Liara beamed, the hunger that grew from her core was no longer manageable, and with a sudden relief Liara sprung out of the introverted shell she'd been her entire life. She pulled her free hand around Shepard's waist and greedily pressed their lower bodies together. Shepard let out a strangely sensual sound of surprise when Liara did, and let go of Liara's hand to grab Liara's rear in both her hands.

Liara felt a certain pressure release from her body and sighed heavily as Shepard pressed them together. She took the woman's face in both her hands and brought their lips together. The feeling that overflowed her senses made her legs twitch. Shepard's lips tasted of cinnamon and were the softest thing her lips had ever touched. At first a single kiss was enough. The slowness was almost painful for Liara. Her body throbbed with want, her hormones raced too fast for the romance she was enduring, Liara needed this now.

Liara quickened the pace of their kiss, biting at Shepard's lips and pushing Shepard back onto the bed. The Commander propped herself up by her elbows, intrigued by the asari's actions. She titled her head to the side, waiting for Liara's next move.

Liara looked at the woman, this beautiful human she loved so much. The smile that spread across her face almost hurt. She wanted to take in all of the beauty she saw in front of her, but at the same time her body was screaming at her to move faster. The asari stepped out of her boots, and then Liara reached behind her back, unzipping her lab coat, and ever so slowly she started pulling it down. She watched Shepard's face as she pulled the body suit past her too defined collarbones and past her breasts.

Shepard looked up at Liara with not just a lust, but with something more, as if she was trying to memorize Liara's figure, as if every little detail was a piece of art. Liara slide the suit farther, past her stomach… slowly exposing her waist and womanhood. The suit reached past her knees and Liara stepped out, presenting herself to Shepard.

Liara stepped forward, and set her knees on the bed, straddling Shepard. Her heart felt like it was about to explode it was beating so fast, and her core was dripping wet.

Shepard pressed her lips to the asari's, as if she too could not take another moment of temptation, and Liara began ripping of the Commander's clothes until they too had seemed to disappear. She returned to her postion, straddling the Commander, only this time Shepard pushed the asari over and pinned her down. Shepard was about to make further advances when Liara stopped her.

"Shepard?" Liara almost moaned and waited for the woman to meet her gaze, "Are you ready?"

The human looked down at her and nodded, and tucked her face into Liara's neck kissing softly.

"Do it now," Shepard cooed.

"Embrace Eternity." Liara whispered, and just as she had begun to meld with the human, Shepard kissed the rippled, sensitive cartilage on her neck and Liara gasped with the sudden intake of pleasure. She dug her nails into the Commander's back, her body curling towards the Commander's. Simultaneously, Liara's mind and Shepard's joined. Liara could feel both the pleasure of her own body and Shepard's, and with this sudden extreme wave of ecstasy rushing over both of them, Liara moaned loudly and clutched onto Shepard for dear life. The Commander also let out a fairly loud groan and had to stop kissing Liara's neck to let the surprise pass.

Their breath became one, their heartbeats matched the other's pace, their skin was no longer only their own, every movement made by one was felt by the other. Liara could feel the warmth of Shepard's presence in her mind. She lay there uselessly momentarily, completely shocked. But she was still hungry for more. Shepard kissed the asari's neck again, and Liara's toes curled.

"Hm," The human hummed in her ear, "That's a nice little spot."

Liara smiled and loosened her grip on Shepard when she could feel her nails slightly hurting her lover's back.

"Yes, but I know a better one." Liara smirked at the human and flipped them both over again. Liara's lips fled Shepard's lips, trailing down her neck, the asari slid her hands up the woman's slides, finding their place on the woman's breasts. Liara squeezed roughly and both of the woman gasped, Liara released Shepard's breasts and bit down on the woman's nipple, jumping from the shock and circling the areola with her tongue. Her finger's scratched the woman's abdomen and creeped closer to the woman's vagina. She could feel the warmth radiating off her figners, as well as Shepard's anticipation. Liara kissed her way down Shepard's stomach and stopped just at her pelvis, letting her fingertips glide over the Commander's thighs.

Shepard's anatomy was surprisingly similar to her own, aside from the tan skin tone they were identical. Liara pressed her tongue to her lover's clit and jumped in surprise. She made circles with the tip of her tongue, and resisted the urge to moan from Shepard's pleasure pulsing through her veins. She could feel Shepard's legs attempting to close.. her back arching… the pressure building quickly… her muscles spasms… her back arching. Liara inserted two fingers into the Commander's core and Shepard yelled Liara's name. The asari's own body mimicked Shepard's and the asari could feel her own eyes roll back and moaned into Shepard's orgasm as her own rolled over her body in waves. Liara's body faultered weakly and she struggled to kkep herself upright long enough to return to her position on top of Shepard.

Liara placed a single gentle kiss on Shepard's lips before her body gave way and she layed on top of the human, her face nestled into the woman's neck. Shepard held Liara close until they both regained enough of their energy.

Shepard rolled Liara over and kissed each part of her crest, the back of her neck, and the sides of her neck, granting the both of them a pleasant post orgasm buzz.

"Shepard." Liara mumbled and the woman looked down at her, lovingly caressing her jaw and neck. A mischievous smile dominated Shepard's face.

"My turn." Shepard hummed.

* * *

Liara broke the meld and layed back on the bed, exhausted yet exhilarated all at the same time. She sat up on the bed, looking over at Shepard who was already dressed and leaning against the counter.

"By the Goddess Shepard… That was… incredible." Liara's usual shyness returned and she blushed.

"Ready for round two?" Shepard smirked, and Liara laughed gently.

"Shepard!"


	4. Chapter 3

Liara woke from her dreams with a start, pleasant memories still clinging to her psyche. She vaguely recognized her setting in the med bay, the room was oddly dark, as if the electricity had been cut off. She squinted to see what was lighting her room, it looked very primitive… almost like… a candle? Liara would have laughed at the sight but her body was not in any condition to do such an act. She was dressed in a piece of clothing she'd never seen before, it liked like baggy combat jeans and a tight fitting shirt. She was literally wearing what looked like the love child of Jack and Miranda.

Liara rolled over, still confused by her settings. She attempted to sit up, but was stopped by a pain in her side. She gasped, accidentally knocking the breath out of herself. Where her ribs broken? Liara puzzled, her memory refusing to return to her. She touched her side, a bandage was wrapped around her, and another adorned her calf and her shoulder. Suddenly footsteps approached through the permanently open door. Miranda Lawson look oddly different, she was dressed in what looked like the top half of her jumpsuit, which was now much looser, and a pair of dirt leggings, her hair was pulled back in a lazy ponytail and dark circles dominated her eyes. When Miranda looked up to see Liara awake she seemed only slightly surprised. She walked over to Liara slowly, pulling a chair next to the bed and sitting, but she remained silent.

"Miranda?" Liara asked softly, groaning as she side tried to make her stop talking. When Liara spoke Miranda jumped in shock.

"Liara? You're… conscious?" Miranda looked her over. "I…" Miranda sighed, and made a pained face.

"Mira-" Liara coughed and Miranda hushed her.

"Don't push yourself Liara, I'm surprised you're functional in any way… you've been blacked out for almost a month."

"A month? What- I…" The asari paused to breathe, "What's going on Miranda? Where am I? Where's Shepard?"

Miranda bit her lip and looked up at Liara with eyes full of tears.

"Liara, you don't remember? We hit the Sol relay after Shepard made it to the Catalyst and crash landed."

"Sol relay? The- What?" Liara puzzled and panic arose in her stomach. "Miranda where is Shepard?"

Then it all came flooding back, the memories pouring back into Liara. Her breath was caught in her throat and her lungs heaved with effort. Her stomach knotted and darkness descended on Liara's mind.

"Oh Goddess." Liara bit back tears and brought a weary hand to her mouth. "Oh Shepard… She'd gone isn't she?"

Miranda nodded, slowly taking Liara's other hand in her own in a comforting manner.

"I'm so sorry Liara." Tears fell from Miranda's cheeks, and she looked down at the floor.

Liara tried her hardest to shake her grief, she had to be logical. That was all she had right now.

"Where are we Miranda? Why have I been out for a month with mid grade wounds? These should have been an easy fix." Liara prompted her, and the woman wiped her tears to look at Liara.

"We crash landed on a planet, it's a miracle any of us are still alive. We have no power, no access to our usual technologies. We've been trying to establish a livable environment here, and it is a true miracle that you did not die without access to our usual grade of medicine. We've been fighting all day and night for weeks to keep you breathing. A few times you've woken up but you've never been coherent before now. I can't believe you actually survived. You had so much internal bleeding from the rush on the tower, and during the crash you injured so much more we thought you have cranial damage… you are so strong Liara." Miranda let go of Liara's hand. And stood up, pacing around the med bay.

Maybe she should have died. Liara thought with a shudder. Her head went numb, and the asari found herself numb of all emotion. This new feeling scared Liara so that she felt her eyes water.

Miranda turned as if she was going to say something, and then hesitated.

"Do you want anything Liara?"

"Yes." Liara replied and looked up at the woman. "I want to know how the rest of the crew is."

"Garrus, Joker, EDI, Jack, Grunt, Kasumi, Ashley and I are all fine… We do not know where Jacob, Zaeed, or Wrex are… We're assuming that that they survived, but we have no communication so there's no way of knowing. Samara, Thane, Mordin and the shuttle driver Cortez died in the last stand against the Reapers. Javik and most of the crew who were aboard the Normandy died on impact landing, A few survived but their injuries were so great… we lost so many good people… and we almost lost you a few times too… now there is just the nine of us." Miranda looked over at Liara with sad eyes. "The first two weeks were so hard… There were so many people to bury there was hardly enough time to try and feed everyone."

Liara felt a stab of guilt, if she hadn't been wrapped up in loosing Shepard, she might have been able to help instead of being one of the people to take care of.

"Can I be alone for a moment Miranda?" Liara mumbled quietly.

"Of course Doctor, I'll be back in a half hour to check on you." Miranda walked out of the door and disappeared into the shadows of the powerless ship.

Liara set her head on the metal bed, allowing herself to cry. She cried for so long she almost allowed herself to forget what she was crying about. When she had almost been lulled to sleep by her own sadness she suddenly felt a warm, light presence enter her mind.

She knew that presence.

"Shepard?" Liara opened her eyes and look for her lover, but found on darkness. The light grew, and the spirit she was melding with entered her psyche lovingly. "Shepard!" Liara smiled, her lover was alive?

No, Liara realized with a start, Shepard was human… she could not have opened the meld with Liara even if she had wanted to. It was impossible. Liara puzzled for a few minutes. Who was in her mind? Who was the false Shepard that had started melding with her, even when she saw no one in front of her?

Liara jumped when she felt a movement coming from inside of her body. Her hand flew to her abdomen and her face dropped.

She was carrying a baby, Shepard's baby, and she had been too unconscious to understand what she had been creating. Liara already had Shepard's genetic map, and just before Shepard had left to make a final push on the Reapers, Liara had asked her for a child through a meld, and Shepard had agreed. Liara was having Shepard's daughter.

Liara touched her stomach, and allowed the child to meld with her.

The child's light filled Liara's mind. She saw in the child the traits that, Shepard, her father had given her. The baby had forest green eyes, and the courage of a full grown krogan, the strength and determination one could only dream of, and the heart of a true lover. Liara cried, not happy tears, nor sad tears.


	5. Chapter 4

Throughout the next week Liara swayed in and out of consciousness, the entire crew seemed thankful to see her getting better. Liara would dream, and she would dream of happy memories she shared with Shepard, but sometimes she would become overwhelmed by nightmares, nightmares of losing Shepard both the first and the second time. When this happened Liara would wake up yelling or crying, sometimes screaming, and when reality returned to her she would touch her stomach and feel the growing spirit inside of her wound reach out to her, as if to comfort her. Liara wondered if her child could feel her pain, and if the baby's oddly strong ability to heal her was a trait given by Shepard.

Liara had been awake for the longest she'd ever been since her injuries, Garrus was sitting by her side and Miranda was watching from the corner.

"You already know don't you?" Liara looked at both of her companions, she didn't need to explain.

"Yes, we found out about the baby within a day of crashing, when we were first attending to you." Miranda answered.

"It is Shepard's, right?" Garrus added.

"Yes. It is." Liara looked down, silence eloping the group. Liara sat up, her back cracking and her shoulder popping, it did that fairly frequently now. Without hesitation Liara heaved her legs off the side of the bed and dangled them over.

"Liara-"

"No." Liara cut Garrus off and waved him away. "My leg isn't broken anymore, and I want to go outside. I've had enough of this candle lit room and this musty air."

"Alright Liara," Garrus sighed, and instead stood offering help. Miranda braced Liara's other side and Liara held on to both of their shoulders.

"Are you sure about this, Doctor?" Miranda chimed, and in response Liara placed some pressure on her feet. Her legs ached from soreness, more so from lack of use than injury. Her side was what really hurt, and she gasped as the wind was knocked out of her. "Take it easy Doctor! I didn't fix you up just so that you could break yourself again."

"Alright, Alright…" Liara gritted her teeth in irritation. A pathetic feeling washed over her, and she started over, moving much slower than before and only placing small amounts of pressure on her feet incrementally. When she found the strength to stand, she found herself holding on to Garrus too much with her hurt shoulder and they had to restart yet again this time with Garrus bracing her side instead of her shoulder. "Goddess…" Liara groaned when she finally stood. "Alright, I didn't do this for nothing, take me outside."

Slowly the group shuffled out of the med bay, and through dimly lit hallways. Liara realized the severity of their situation, they were stranded on a planet with no known food source, no known civilization, no known drinking water… it was truly a stroke of luck that the planet had been any sort of habitable in the first place. When they reached what used to be the elevator and the Alliance name board, Liara found herself blinded by the incoming sunlight, and once her eyes adjusted she could see that the ships' exterior had been ripped off, but that this particular breech was also perfectly level with the ground.

The fresh air was exactly what Liara needed. She squinted into the distance and took a deep breath of the friendly atmosphere. In the distance she could see Grunt doing what looked like digging up earth, and getting very upset due to the fact that he possessed none of the correct modern equipment, and was instead using what looked like an odd mix between a grenade launched and a shovel to shoot at the dirt. Kasumi and Ashley were following him with bags, none of them besides grunt were dressed in their usual attire, and all of them look like hell. Joker was resting on a flat rock a few meters away, sweat dripped from his forehead. In the distance Liara spotted a stream, and Jack's tiny figure worked beside it. EDI walked up to the group with a look of exhaustion.

"Liara, it is relieving to see you up and moving. How are you feeling Doctor?" EDI stated geniunly.

"Thanks EDI, and I'm feeling better, I hope that soon I will be able to help instead of being dragged around like a lost child." Liara smiled at the synthetic.

"Come on Liara, Why don't you sit down." Garrus and Miranda guided her to the rock and set her next to Joker. The entire time Liara groaned and sighed with irritation. She couldn't wait to be functional again.

"Hey there Liara, feeling any better? Need a foot rub?" Joker snorted at his own joke. Liara shook her head but managed a smile.

"Goddess… this is going to take some serious time." Liara looked over at the crew's makeshift agriculture system.

"You're telling me. The food we've found here should last until with can start harvesting this stuff correctly… How did humans ever survive without VI's to farm for them? Thank god EDI is here, or we would have been screwed, we serve on a war ship, we make pretty shitty farmers."

The pair watched as Grunt threw his makeshift plow across the field, and Ashley and Kasumi nagged at him.

"This will take a lot of getting used to… how are we ever going to find civilization in this place?" Liara looked down at her stomach… was her daughter doomed to a life of solitude?

"That shouldn't be too much of a problem actually; according to EDI's reading, gaining stability and building a com tower should take between 10 and 15 years." Miranda chimed from behind the group.

"Ten years?" Joker moaned, "I don't know about you but ten years of this shit might take just enough time off my lifespan for us to build it and then receive no signal.

"We have to try Joker. I don't know about Liara and Grunt, but I do not want to be stranded on this place alone for the next century."

The comment sent the group into total silence, and almost pushed Liara to tears. It was true, within maybe fifty years all of the humans and Garrus would die… with little to no chance of ever seeing anywhere but this planet, and that would leave Liara, Grunt and EDI completely alone… if they hadn't reached civilization by then, there would be little to no hope of Liara ever seeing it. What would then happen to her daughter? Would she live out the rest of her days alone, with only EDI for company, on a desolate planet with no hope or chance of a normal and happy life?

Liara covered her abdomen with a single hand, what was she thinking? She was dooming her unborn child to a low quality life.

As if the little girl developing inside of her could hear her thoughts, a strange sense of warmth and comfort returned to her.

Liara's mind slowed, and a droplet of calmness returned to her.

 _Thank you_ , Liara thought to her baby.


	6. Chapter 5

Liara's breath escaped her body, and she clutched her side, kneeling in the dirt momentarily. The sun beat down on her, and the air was too humid, she felt as if it was trying to suffocate her.

It had now been 4 months since they'd landed on this planet they now called home. Liara had been functional for two of them now already, and every day her body was regaining strength it had lost in her one month of unconsciousness. The crew had begun sustaining a constant food source, the work that went into it was grueling and tedious but necessary. They'd discovered that the water in the nearby creek was in fact drinkable, and Grunt with help from Joker had only recently started building a dam that they planned to adapt into a hydroelectric plant. Eventually.

The Normandy had been decked out into a more sustainable living area, and EDI was working on creating a solar power source for it which would allow them to use the com system. Eventually. While EDI, Joker and Grunt worked on gaining power throughout the day, Liara and Miranda switched between assisting the three with their scientific expertise and helping the remaining crew sustain their food supply.

With all misfortunes aside, the crew had been very lucky in landing on this particular planet. The weather was in a constant state of perfect farming climate, and the air was breathable. That was all that mattered.

Liara wiped the sweat from her forehead, struggling back to her feet. An alarm rang out in her mind, her daughter disagreeing with her actions and demanding that her mother rest.

Liara looked up, she only had a small amount of planting left to do, and then she could rest. Liara placed a palm on her belly.

"Just a short time more baby."

Despite being four months pregnant, Liara displayed hardly any weight, being that asari pregnancies usually last an average of 12 months.

Liara continued working, her entire body aching and her lungs burning. When it came to farming, biotics were especially useful, Liara would hit a section field with stasis, and the dirt would lift out of the ground, gracefully irrigating itself. Then she'd use Throw on the seeds and they would each find a perfect placement. After that it was just repetition… for 30 square miles. She rolled the sleeve of the t – shirt she wore up. It was Shepard's tee shirt, a blue Alliance top. Liara looked up at her finished job – and then laid her arm over her eyes, looking up at the sky.

"Oh Shepard…" Liara looked back at the ship, EDI was hard at work with Miranda. "How are we going to do this without you?"

Liara lazily dragged herself back to the Normandy, drinking water out of a large fresh water tank Jack had made. The human herself walked into the cab, Jack wore her old top which did nothing more than cover her nipples and her usual jeans which most of the crew now also wore.

"How are you holding Liara? And when are you gonna start getting all fat and lazy?" Jack also grabbed some water and looked over at the humanoid.

Liara smiled and chuckled.

"I'm just fine… and we asari don't hit that stage until about 9 months."

"Well shit when's that sucker gonna pop out?"

Liara was about to reply but instead had to stop and clutch her side. After the last stand against the Reapers, Liara's side had never properly healed, and sometimes the wind was knocked from her lungs with no apparent cause.

Jack watched her quietly.

"Don't you think it's about time Miranda started doing your share of heavy lifting?" Jack set her cup down.

"I'm fine, I can contribute." Liara stated stubbornly and stood up taller, rubbing her ribcage until the pain dissipated.

"Liara you have to stop thinking that you're dead weight. We can hold this fort up while you have your baby."

Liara sighed and thanked Jack, promising the tattooed woman that she would rest for the remainder of the day.

Liara touched her belly, she knew that rest was exactly what she needed, Shepard had always been so good at reading her and knowing when he'd worked herself too hard. Liara sighed, rubbing her temples and allowing herself to remember to moment she thought that she loved Shepard.

* * *

"Liara! GET DOWN!" Shepard grabbed Liara's shoulder and forced the asari behind a stay crate just as a rocket soared where her head had been moments later. The world blurred and Liara's breathing became a struggle, her hands shook with exhaustion and her forearm was bleeding heavily.

Shepard popped up, taking one shot with her sniper rifle and bringing the geth trooper to the ground.

There was nothing left to do now but approach her mother.

"Liara," Shepard crouched on the ground, as more commandos rounded the corner. "Garrus get a wrap on Liara's arm – NOW!" The woman hollered and began demolishing the asari running towards them.

Garrus wrapped Liara's arm quickly, and when Liara gained just the slightest footing, she popped over the top of the crate and hit the remaining two vanguards with a biotic blow that sent both of them flying into a fatal blow to the wall.

Shepard ran to her, holding her shoulder.

"Liara – you're hurt, we have to get you back to the Normandy."

"No, Shepard, I… I have to do this! I have to see my mother." Liara stood, making herself look fine and able.

"Liara!" Shepard grabbed her wrist. "I'm not going to loose you."

Liara's heart skipped a beat, time stopped momentarily.

"You're not going to." Liara stared into the human's eyes. Her new favorite shade of emerald stared back at her.

Liara turned towards the stairs of the tower, Shepard at her side, and her heart twisted in half.


	7. Chapter 6

Liara snapped awake, gasping for breath. The familiar warmth and comfort instantly greeting in inner corridors of her mind. Instantly Liara's eyes flew to her belly. No, this was not possible.

Liara was now only ten months pregnant, although her belly bulged and she was obviously full with child, worry filled her. Liara ripped the sheets off her body, another wave of pain rippling through her body. Liara gasped again and clutched her stomach.

No… no… no… Liara's head spun, and she dipped her hand in the soaking sheets. She spun and fiddled with a lighter, the candle illuminating her bedside. Thankfully, the wet was not blood, but the worry remained. Liara's water had broken, and her baby was still two months premature.

"No… No… No… Oh Goddess please." Liara looked up at the ceiling as if it held the answers to her cries for help. Liara stood, pain again rippled through her body. Liara arrived at the door of her office, but felt that she could not move any further. "Miranda!" Liara called across the hall, praying that Miranda had heard her.

Liara sent a silent thanks to the Goddess as the woman approached her quickly.

"What is it Liara?" Miranda was instantly at her side and guided her back to her bed.

Liara's heart snapped in half, and tears rolled down her chin.

"Miranda, the baby."

Miranda looked at her calmly, obviously concealing her worry.

"Liara, it's going to be okay. I'll get EDI down here… and we'll get ready to deliver her right here." Miranda set Liara back on her bed and was about to walk out before she sat a hand on Liara's shoulder. "Don't worry Liara… we are not going to lose her."

Miranda exited and only dark thoughts consumed Liara's mind. The familiar calm in her mind only reminded her of what was at stake.

"I won't lose you." Liara whispered to Shepard's child, "Not again."

Liara's labor process had awoken the entire crew in the dead of night. Despite Liara's pain tolerance, child birth was no match for her. The main difference between human birth and asari birth was that while both humans and asari actually had to push the baby out, asari also had to push the child's nervous system out of their own. This meant breaking the strong mental bond between them, which was not only also physically exhausting but mentally and psychologically detrimental. Thankfully EDI's database had included asari physiology, and Ms. Lawson was there to assist Liara in the birthing process as well.

Liara's entire body was convulsing, and her breath was never enough to suffice her needs. Her head pounded, and her eyes were out of tears to cry.

"Just one more Liara, you're almost there, just one more." Miranda called from below the sheets.

Liara again pushed with all of her strength, a final scream and she felt her daughter exit both her mind and body all at once.

Crying exploded in the room, and Liara instantly was alert, looking over as Miranda handed a little blue figure to EDI who had a towel and some basic medical supplies ready. Miranda stood.

"Well it's a girl." She called and smiled, coming up to Liara's face, "You did it Liara."

Liara breathed thankfully, and then again was in alert mode and EDI looked over the child.

"EDI is she okay?"

"She seems perfectly healthy, Doctor," The baby continued to cry while EDI cleaned her and wrapped her in a makeshift blanket. EDI carried the baby towards the bed, and instantly Liara had her hands around her daughter.

The second their skin touched, the baby stopped crying. Liara looked down on the most beautiful being she'd ever laid eyes on. Her skin was the same shade as her own, 'eyebrow' markings like her own were faded but still apparent. Liara could see her smooth scalp, and felt the little tendrils that would grow into a crest as she grew older. The child opened her eyes, bloodshot with exhaustion. Liara was instantly breathless as she stared into an endless forest of greens.

* * *

About an hour after the birth Miranda opened the doors outside of Liara's office. Six pairs of eyes looked back through the door frame.

"I said I wanted to see the little commando first." Grunt pushed his way inside and past Miranda to Liara's beside.

Liara was holding the little girl, and propped her elbow up to give Grunt a good look.

"Hmph, she looks like you Tsoni. Funny looking." Grunt replied and walked to the corner of the room.

"Me next!" Ashley called, and pulled a chair close to Liara's bed. She stared for a few moments and smiled.

Kasumi teleported next to her, and peered through her hood. Garrus followed close behind.

Jack claimed the other side of the bed, and finally Joker limped through the doors, standing next to Ashley.

"You alright there Liara? I thought someone was dying up here."

Liara rolled her eyes at him. "I'd like to see how you'd do with the same amount of pain Joker."

"Nah, I'm good." Joker replied.

"Liara… Not to be rude… but… can I-"

"Hold her?" Liara looked back at the woman. Ashley and Liara had grown pretty close during their mission to stop Saren, and a few months back Ashley had helped Liara off the ground a lot. "Here." Liara carefully handed the little blue bundle to the human.

Ashley looked down at the baby with a huge grin.

"So Liara, Does she have a name?" Garrus chimed in from the end of the bed.

"Yes…" Liara smiled, and everyone stared at her with anticipation. "… Normandy."

The room went quiet for a few moments.

"I like it." Said Ashely, as she looked over the baby. "Hi little Normandy." Ashley cooed at the baby.

* * *

Throughout the day, people came and went to check on Liara and to continue working. Despite this milestone, there was still a long way to go. Liara had found an old shirt of Shepard's; it was yellow with a black Alliance symbol on it. Liara had modified it to serve as a onesie for Normandy. Liara placed the child in her arms with the most caution she'd ever experienced.

Small little tears clotted around Liara's eyes. Joker was sitting next to her, and Jack sat on her other side. EDI peeked over Joker's shoulder at the baby, as if she could feel Liara's sadness.

"She looks like you Liara." EDI stated and titled her head to the side.

"She looks like Shepard." Jack chuffed from the side of the room ,silence eloping the room momentarily.

"Well that's nothing to be sad about Tsoni, you know every little lesbian and bisexual on earth would have given their left arm to see Shepard in person." Joker mused, and Liara laughed a little, but this small amount of relief was not enough and the tears spilled anyways.

Liara sighed, and stared at the yellows adorning the baby's skin that was slightly darker than her own, the lips that were slightly darker and the baby's slender hands.

"She looks like my mother." Liara stated, Normandy reached a hand toward's Liara's face unconsciously, as if to wipe her tears.


	8. Chapter 7

**Hey guys! Thank you all for reading and thank you for the reviews! I'd like to know if the Liara's flashbacks are confusing, because I'm not sure. So if they are, let me know and I'll configure a better system. Again thank you all so much! Enjoy! - CAV**

* * *

"She looks like my mother." Liara stated, Normandy reached a hand towards Liara's face unconsciously, as if to wipe her tears.

She allowed herself to think back, and remember.

* * *

Liara smiled at the pleasant feeling of dirt through her fingers. Wonder filled her mind, and the asari continued digging. She let herself explore the world of her mind, she imagined herself on far off worlds, digging up ruins of prophetic ancestors and mysterious species. She suddenly stopped as a pair of small boots stopped just in front of her pile. Liara dropped the shovel and looked up at an asari who was maybe 25, the same age as herself.

"Liara, you weirdo, what are you even doing?" The snotty little girl peered down at the fairly large hole Liara had successfully dug in the grass and Liara dropped the shovel, staring up at the girl and crossing her arms.

"Go away Izraya." Liara picked up the shovel again and continued to dig.

"Stop! You're ruining the grass dummy!" The other asari yelled, and Liara ignored her, "Liara stop it you freak!" Izraya kicked Liara's dirt pile, sending dirt and grass into Liara's face and eyes. She wasn't nearly as upset about that as she was the fact that the girl had re-filled about half of the hole she'd worked so hard to excavate.

Liara jumped up and tackled the other girl.

"You ruined it!" Liara yelled as they fell to the ground. "You ruined it you meanie!"

The other child fell back, and Liara straddled the girl on the ground.

"Liara you crazy weirdo! Get off of me!" Izraya tried to squirm away, but Liara was stronger.

"Not until you say sorry! Say sorry you jerk face!" Liara replied, fury running hot through the little girl's veins.

Instead of apologizing, Izraya screamed loudly.

"Liara!" A familiar voice rang from behind the fighting children.

Liara snapped her head to the side to see her mother, walking towards her with an angry look that sent pure fear in chills down Liara's back. The other girl's mother followed close behind. Liara started getting off the girl, and her mother was there fast enough to grab Liara by the arm and yank her the rest of the way off. The other girl stood and Benezia apologized to her mother before holding Liara's shoulders and kneeling in front of her.

Liara looked down at the ground with an angry face with her arms crossed and waited for the lecture.

"Liara what kind of behavior was that?" Benezia said with a harsh tone. Liara refused to answer, and Benezia picked up the shovel next to her daughter's feet, inspecting the gaping hole in the middle of the park grass, "Liara what is this? What were you thinking?"

"She started it…" Liara mumbled, "She ruined my excavation site and called me a freak."

"Excavation site? Oh Goddess Liara," Benezia set her finger under Liara's chine, making the little girl look her in the eyes, "What were you digging for this time Liara?"

Liara's face stayed stone cold and furious. She wasn't sure what she was digging for.

"… Protheans." Liara answered and tried to move her face, but her mother set both hand on her cheeks in an affectionate manner.

"Liara… you can't just go around digging up parks and playgrounds." The woman brushed the dirt off of Liara's cheeks and not quite fully developed crest, placing a kiss on the young asari's forehead. "Come Liara."

The woman stood and took the girl's hand in her own. Liara remained angry and pouted most of the walk.

It wasn't until the next morning that Benezia set a mysterious looking book on the kitchen table. Liara climbed on a chair and held the book up.

"Archeology." Liara read proudly, and a smiled covered her face. She looked over at her mother, who continued cooking. Benezia looked over her shoulder and smiled, nodding.

"I figured if you were that interested in finding Prothean ruins-"

Before the woman could answer, Liara had hoped off the chair and slammed into the woman's legs to hug her.

"Oh thank you mother! Thank you!"

Benezia laughed as Liara ran up the stairs, book in hand and a fire behind her eyes.

Liara woke with a start for reasons she did not know. Saren was defeated, the Citadel was safe, and she was with Shepard. Why was she so on edge?

Why was she crying?

The asari could feel Shepard's arm around her waist and their legs intertwined beneath the sheets. Her lungs were gasping for air, and the salty liquid poured down her cheeks. Liara quietly freed herself from Shepard's embrace and sat at the Commander's desk. She held her shoulders and tried to pin down her erratic emotions. She'd had a dream about her mother, and the time she'd given her a book after digging up grass in a park.

Liara almost smiled at that memory and pulled out her omni tool. Liara had already started to search for a way to contact her mother when a realization hit.

Her mother was dead.

Liara and Shepard had killed her on Noveria.

Liara would never see her mother again, never hear her laugh again, never introduce her to a future grandchild.

Liara's head fell to her hands. Anger mixed with pain filling her chest. Suddenly a hand was on Liara's shoulder, a warmth lingered over her head and Liara looked up to see Shepard.

"What's wrong Liara?" Shepard's dark voice asked, and guided the asari back to the bed. Liara laid her head on Shepard's shoulder.

"Nothing… just… I had a dream about my mother."

Shepard kissed the top of Liara's crest.

"You mother was a good woman Liara, and I'm sure she loved you. It's the memory of her that lives on in you. Hold on to her." The Commander rubbed Liara's shoulder comfortingly.

"I know. Thank you Shepard." Liara pressed herself closer to Shepard's naked body.


	9. Chapter 7 (Continued)

"I know. Thank you Shepard." Liara pressed herself closer to Shepard's naked body.

The two stayed like that for a long time, no longer needing words. Liara broke the silence, sitting up and towering over Shepard to land a kiss on her lips.

"I love you Shepard."

"Do you?" Shepard smirked, and Liara rolled her eyes at her.

"You don't believe me?"

"Well, if you're going to make a bold statement like that…" Shepard paused as Liara straddled her and smirked back, "I'm just saying, I'd like to see you prove it."

Liara giggled flirtatiously and kisses Shepard before whispering in her ear.

"If you're wanting sex, you're going to have to do a little better than that." And with that the asari rolled off of Shepard and laid next to her.

Without a seconds warning Shepard had straddled Liara. Liara propped herself up on her elbows and raised an eyebrow at the human.

"Alright, I get it, but lets just say-" Shepard paused to kiss the asari's lips, and continued to pause and kiss down Liara's neck and chest towards her sternum, "That you… didn't believe me?... and I… can prove it to you." Shepard stopped just as she was nearing Liara's breasts and Liara's body twitched with the anticipation that was never rewarded. Shepard returned to Liara's face, and the asari ran her fingers through the Commander's scarlet hair, pulling in just the right places, watching as Shepard stop her flirting momentarily to close her eyes and moan ever so quietly as Liara pulled in the perfect spot.

After that, they both knew that there was no way Shepard would not be getting some action tonight.

The Commander leaned in close to Liara, her hands running down the length of Liara's thighs and stomach before gliding across the asari's lower lips. Liara twitched and instantaneously opened the meld. Shepard jumped at the sudden pleasure she'd received from touching Liara and smiled at the asari before migrating down the bed. Shepard's tongue touched Liara's clit, just gentle enough to make Liara squirm the slightest. Shepard continued to run her tongue in circles around the asari's clit, and just when Liara's toes started to curl Shepard stopped. Liara sighed in frustration as her body was denied. They both felt this, but Shepard still only smirked.

"Come here." The commander ordered, and Liara instantly knew what she wanted. Shepard stepped off the bed, which was at least two or three feet off the ground, and Liara followed her – leaning over the bed so that her breasts and torso hit the bed while her feet touched the floor.

Shepard traced the asari's lips and clit, teasing and sending both of them into a wave of gasps and moans. They both anticipated Shepard's entrance equally. Finally Shepard grabbed Liara's shoulder with one hand, and inserted two fingers of the other into Liara's core. Liara moaned a little too loud and covered her own mouth with a hand. Shepard started soft and slow, before increasing speed and roughness gradually. Liara's heart pounded and her lungs gasped for air that was not granted. Shepard used the hand on Liara's shoulder to guide the asari against her fingers. Without warning Shepard inserted a third finger, and within only a few thrusts both of the woman were brought to orgasm. they both lay on the bed uselessly for many minutes, Liara broke the meld and looked over at her favorite shade of green.

"You proved it. But you never said it." Liara whispered between gasps.

In answer, the Commander, still breathless, leaned over and placed a slow, gently kiss on the humanoid's lips.

"I love you, Liara T'soni."


	10. Chapter 8

Liara held her breath, looking back at the rest of the crew.

"Are you sure?" Liara almost whispered. The crew smiled at her. Liara looked down at her daughter of now almost 4 months. A contraption Liara had made out of Shepard's N7 hoodie held the babe close to her chest without restricting Liara's hands. The girl still behaved like a 'newborn' by human terms, and Normandy looked up at her with what seemed to be a smile.

Liara smiled back, and knelt in the soil, pulling the first vegetable of the first successful harvest out of the ground. The crew yelled in celebration, Miranda and EDI retreating back to continue building the power supplies. Liara started the harvest, Jack and Ashley working beside her while Garrus and Kasumi started the next row over.

The sun was hot, the air was thin, but the crew was happy anyways. Grunt gave each of the harvesters s pouch of sorts to put the plants in. They had a variety of about 4 vegetables and 2 fruits and for now that was plenty.

Liara's clothes had thinned and worn out, so she wore Jack's combat boots and baggy jeans however she'd thrown out the shirt a while back and instead used think white linen she found in Shepard's cabin to wrap her chest in a tube top style. The entire situation reminded Liara of her days in primary school when she'd learned about the ancient asari. She'd always wondered what it would be like to live off the land in such a place, working the fields with her daughter strapped to her chest.

At just that moment, after only having harvested half a row - Normandy cried and Liara adjusted herself to feed her, still proceeding to work. A few moments later the girl cried out again, obviously not hungry. Liara looked down at her.

"What's the matter Normandy?" Liara hesitated, she wanted to help the crew harvest, but her child was obviously in need of some well deserved attention and entertainment. Liara released the girl from her sling and held her close, kissing her forehead.

"Hey Doctor - no childcare during work." Jack smirked sarcastically and continued to harvest the field with her biotics. Liara laughed at her just as Joker approached her.

"Need a babysitter Liara?" Joker smiled and held his hands out. While Liara was Normandy's primary caretaker, Joker had grown surprisingly attached to the little girl.

"Just keep her close? And don't let her burn in the sun Joker." Liara smiled, her cheek pressed against her daughter's forehead. She kissed the child again before handing the baby and the hoodie to Joker. She watched them go, Joker setting the blanket down near the edge of the field to play with the baby. Liara watched the two and smiled. In the distance she could see the Normandy, and all the work the ship still needed. She could also spot the river and the damn that Grunt was working on.

They had made their mark, gained their footing, but there was still a long way to go. Liara looked over at Joker and Normandy. Joker was letting her play with his hat, and tickled her feet. The babe's laugh filled the air and Liara smiled.

She didn't quite mind waiting.

* * *

"When are you going to start walking Little Blue?" Miranda hummed at Normandy. Normandy laughed and stuck her tongue out at Miranda. "Oh come on now Little Blue that isn't very nice."

Liara walked into her room to find Miranda and the baby on the floor. Normandy was now 14 months old, although she'd still resemble a 5 month old in human terms. It was always funny to Liara, seeing how the humans reacted to Normandy's seemingly 'slow' growth in their minds. Liara needed to make new clothes for Normandy and she'd retrieved two pairs of leggings from Shepard's slowly dwindling closet.

Normandy turned her head as her mom entered, brave eyes shimmered as the child giggled and smiled, she knew a handful of words now.

"Mama!" Normandy called and clapped her hands, pointing at Miranda and then back at Liara. "Miri - Mama!"

"Yes Normandy - your mother brought you new clothes, what do we have Miranda stood and looked at what Liara had recovered.

"Well I thought I'd give Normandy a little test." Liara held out two pairs of leggings. "Cerberus Yellow? Or Alliance Blue?"

Miranda laughed. "Oh god Liara."

"Lets just see okay?" Liara gave both of the pants to Miranda and walked over to Normandy, who had obviously been listening.

"Shirt!" Normandy stated proudly, grabbing her toes and smiling sweetly.

"Yes, Normandy" Liara smiled and ran a hand down the girl's developing crest. The tendrils at the back of her head had started to curve upwards like they should, and small breaks were becoming more and more visible on her scalp. "Now Normandy, lets walk." Liara sat down and the baby titled her head.

Liara took the girl's hands. Normandy had no issue standing.

"Alright, now I'm going to let go, alright? One... Two..." Before Liara could get to three though, she felt the toddler let go herself.

Daring, brave, those words came to mind and in that moment Liara watched Shepard's child stand on her own.

"Good job Normandy. Now, go to aunt Miri" Liara prompted, chanting sweetly as the baby deliberated.

Normandy looked up at her mother, green eyes glazed with excitement and curiousity, before lifting her foot and tidily setting in down. after a few of these legs lifts, Normandy shuffled forward.

Miranda and Liara both cheered the little girl on as she shuffled across the floor.

However, suddenly Normandy's feet did not obey her and the toddler faltered. Liara went to rescue her daughter, make all of the pain go away, but she stopped herself and watched. The toddler didn't even whine once, she simple got back on her feet and started her journey again. Liara stared in surprise at the ambition and determination the tiny humanoid displayed. A few falls later, and Normandy was standing in front of Miranda.

"Impressive, Little Blue." Miranda held out both of the clothes and Normandy snatched the blue, holding it close to her chest and laughing.

Normandy turned around and looked at her mother.

"Blue!" The toddler yelled in excitement.

"Good choice." Liara replied with equal enthusiasm, swooping Shepard's daughter up off the floor to hold her close.

* * *

"Well Joker we don't got any wax candles or nothin'. But we dug this up from the Normandy's fridge." Jack set a chocolate bar in front of Joker. The man gasped.

"No way, an actual Hersheys bar, you crazy tattooed woman - I like you." Joker smiled "But seriously guys we don't need to celebrate my birthday, its not a big deal."

Liara crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. She did not understand why humans celebrated these 'birthday's either. what was so special about another year?

"C'mon Jeff, you're turning thirty, that is a pretty big year in human terms." EDI placed her hand on Jeff's shoulder and the rest of the crest huddled around the table.

"Come on Joker just let us sing the damn song." Miranda teased him and a tiny blue head popped up beside her.

"Hey!" Normandy, who was now one and a half, yelled and the humans all looked down. "Bad word Miri!"

"My apologies Blue." Miranda smiled and watched the girl crawl under the table to pop up in front of Joker.

Next to Liara Garrus sighed.

"Such strange culture the humans have. The turians are short lived as well and still, we don't have to bathe ourselves in narcissism once a year."

"Yes, I don't quite understand it myself. But i'd like Normandy to." Liara watched as her daughter crawled into Joker's lap and leaned on him.

"Happy birf-day Joker!" Normandy smiled and sat with the friend she'd grown so close to.

"Odd, don't the asari usually pass down their own culture, instead of the father's?" Garrus questioned.

"Yes, but unfortunately Normandy will never know her father. So I'd like her to know as much about her as she can."

Suddenly all of the humans broke into song. Liara and Garrus stared, observing this odd and unnerving ritual that they'd never encountered before it looked like Jack was holding a single burning match above the candy bar, and at the end of the song Joker blew it out.

The humans, and Normandy, clapped and cheered. Joker opened the candy bar - giving a square to everyone at the table including Normandy.

"What the fuck was that?" Garrus whispered.

"I have no clue, but I suppose it's rather cute." Liara suggested watching as the group conversed and laughed.

"cute? Did you see the cult like shenanigans that we have just witnessed?" Garrus chuckled, and the tow walked over to the table to join the conversation.

Liara could remember the one time she had been their to celebrate Shepard's birthday, and let the memory pour into her as Normandy crawled into Liara's lap.


	11. Chapter 9

"I have no clue, but I suppose it's rather cute." Liara suggested watching as the group conversed and laughed.

"Cute? Did you see the cult like shenanigans that we have just witnessed?" Garrus chuckled, and the tow walked over to the table to join the conversation.

Liara could remember the one time she had been there to celebrate Shepard's birthday, and let the memory pour into her as Normandy crawled into Liara's lap.

* * *

Liara walked to the cock pit and stared at the haze of purple that zoomed past them.

"Hey, what's up Doc?" Joker said with a funny accent, staring back at Liara as if expecting her to laugh, "Oh come on! Looney Tunes… human thing I guess."

"Joker no matter how hard you try, I'm probably never going to understand 90 percent of your jokes." Liara smiled and leaned against his chair with her arm.

"Hey, it's Shepard's birthday today; did you get her anything special?"

Liara stuttered with confusion.

"E-Excuse me? Why would I get Shepard anything for her birthday?"

"Oh… I guess you asari don't necessarily celebrate that kind of thing. Since us humans don't have a thousand years we celebrate our birthdays every year. It's kinda like a 'Yay I'm still alive!' kind of thing. We celebrate the fact that we've accomplished another year of life, and friends and family get together to party and give gifts to the person who survived another year."

"Goddess," Liara shook her head, "You make it sound like humans are in a constant state of dying. Like Shepard is dying soon."

"Well, Liara we only took down Saren a few months ago, and do you see what Shepard does every day? I mean, she kinda could die at any given moment… not to go all depressing on you or anything." Joker looked up with an awkwardly apologetic grimace.

Liara's heart dropped. It was true, Shepard was in a very prominent and constant state of danger.

It was very quiet in the pit for a few too many minutes.

"How old is she today?" Liara whispered.

"Twenty nine, I believe."

29, that meant that if Shepard was lucky, and did in fact live out her days to die of old age, Liara only had maybe one hundred years left with Shepard. She wouldn't even be a matron by the time Shepard passed.

Liara shivered in the non-existent cold.

"Well, I don't know what I could get her in the limited time I have." Liara stated.

"You don't have to give her any material item Liara, it's not required. I'd say later tonight put on the sexiest thing you own and have a good time, call that a present and Shepard will be totally happy with that." Joker smirked and Liara blushed.

Just then a pair of combat boots approached and Liara spun around to see Shepard approaching from the galaxy map. Joker tapped the asari's shoulder and whispered in her ear.

"When she comes up, say 'Happy birthday'."

"Oh, okay." Liara looked back up to see her lover right in front of her. Gigantic green eyes peered down at the asari with happiness. Liara blushed again.

"Happy Birthday, Commander." Liara smiled and Shepard kissed her quickly.

"Thanks. I'm thinking today maybe we could all go to the Citadel for some shore leave, maybe get dinner and drinks to celebrate?"

"I'm so down." Joker called from the pilots chair.

Shepard turned to the galaxy map and smiled.

"Alright then Joker, point us towards the Citadel."

Just then the com link lit up and Admiral Hackett sounded through the speakers.

"Sorry to ruin your plans Commander, but I have an emergency that only you can handle. Geth have invaded a colony in the Kite's Nest cluster, I need you down their asap to recover a scientist of ours and get her out of there."

Joker groaned, "There goes shore leave."

"We'll do something else, we have drinks on board, and maybe we can all do something after the mission. Liara, get Ashley and gear up. Let's do this quick and clean."

Liara nodded and shuffled to the bunker, when they arrived at the colony all hell broke loose. Swarms of geth met them at the landing zone and after hours, they had almost reached the main building.

Rockets crashed and Liara's ears rang, a shock trooper turned the corner and Liara set him flying in one powerful throw. Shepard was next to Liara, and the woman popped up, starting to move to the next row. Liara spotted a sniper on the top of the building, its red laser landing on Shepard's helmet.

"Shepard!" Liara called and stood, throwing herself into Shepard as a single bullet flew past them. The two landed behind another barrier, a heap of clattering armor and helmets.

"Liara? What the-"

"Sniper!" Liara pointed just as Ashley brought the sniper down.

"I owe you one." Shepard breathed as Liara helped her up.

"More than one." Liara mumbled, staring at the bullet that had shattered the barriers behind them, the same bullet that could have penetrated Shepard's helmet. The same bullet that could have taken Liara's lover from this world.

"You alright Liara?" Shepard's voice pulled Liara back into reality.

"Yes, fine. Let's do this." Lara put on a fake face and charged into the building.

* * *

The Mako was standing by for extraction, Shepard leaned back in the drivers seat, and Ashley sat silently in the passenger's. Liara was in the back, her elbows on her knees and her hands held her head up. She was still trying to catch her breath.

"Goddammit." Shepard cussed and pounded on the dashboard with a single hand.

They were too late, the scientist was dead by the time to trio had reached her, and in the midst of the chaos they had almost been blown up in a huge bomb planted in the colony. They'd barely made it out and not without a being flung a hundred feet by the bomb's force. Liara had landed on her knees, and they throbbed with ache. Her forearms were badly bruised as well.

"We were close Shepard, but there is nothing you could have done to change this." Ashley whispered from the passenger's seat. She had landed on her back, and it was obvious she was in a lot of pain.

"I just don't like losing people." Shepard sighed and stood. She was the only one of the group that hadn't been flung so violently. She approached Liara and knelt in front of her. Shepard took her helmet off, green eyes rimmed with tears, face smeared with dirt and blood from a small cut on her forehead.

Liara took her armored gloves off, placing both of her hands on Shepard's cheeks. The human put her hands on top of the asari's and leaned into Liara's chest.

A few moments of silence passed before the Commander lifted her face again.

"Liara, are your knees alright?'

"They'll be fine." Liara replied and ran a hand through Shepard's short red hair.

* * *

Liara walked into Shepard's cab later that day. Her body was still sore, and she doubted she'd be giving Shepard anything tonight due to the condition she was in. The door opened for her, and she leaned against the wall, finding Shepard at her desk. The asari walked up the woman and draped her arms around her from behind the chair.

" I was just about to get in the shower." Shepard looked up at the asari, tired eyes glazed with disappointment meeting the asari's lonely blues.


	12. Chapter 9 (Continued)

**Apologies for the late chapter, school is a real bitch. Hope you all enjoy this long awaited smut ;)**

* * *

Steam filled the shower room, and Liara ran her hands over her forearms, large purple and black bruises covering their surface. Shepard embraced the asari from behind, her warm naked body pressed against her own.

The human's hands met her own, and gently touched the bruises Liara was observing.

"You got pretty banged up out there today." Shepard stated, her hands returning to Liara's belly.

"Hm, I suppose so. I'm not too concerned." Liara let her hands drop and linked them over the top of Shepard's. The water poured down on both of them, healing their bodies.

Shepard kissed Liara's neck, and the asari sighed at the comfort given by this. Liara turned around, Shepard's hands falling to Liara's rear. The asari blushed only slightly and set her hands on the human's shoulders.

"I am sorry that your birthday didn't go as well as you'd liked it to." Liara ran her hands over the woman's strong porcelain skin. Her collar bone stuck out with definition and her perfectly sculpted shoulders gave way to long, toned arms and beautifully hardened hands. Small bruises and a few long healed scars scattered the woman's otherwise flawless complexion. Liara looked up at her lover and rested her arms around the Commander's neck.

"That's okay, we're here now, You're here, with me, and that's all that matters." Shepard pulled the smaller woman just the slightest bit closer, squeezing Liara's ass just the slightest. Liara smiled and kissed the Commander's neck.

"Its not too late for a present now is it?" Liara grinned the slightest, letting her inner dominance out momentarily.

"Present? You didn't need to get me anything." Shepard smirked, feigning innocence.

Liara laughed softly and pushed on the woman's shoulders until Shepard was against the shower wall. She could have sworn she saw Shepard blush.

Liara ran her hands down the Commander's chest, tracing her breasts and resting at her hips. The asari knelt in front of her lover, and kissed the woman's abdomen, leaving small bites and nips as she made her way back to Shepard's face. By this point, Liara had the woman gasping and twitching. Shepard pulled the asari into her and Liara placed a rough kiss on the woman's lips, biting Shepard's lower lip as she pulled away. Liara's hands swept across the Commander's bruised thighs, letting her nails glide against Shepard's legs and rear.

Shepard's fingers toyed at Liara's lower crest and the asari sighed at the sudden pleasure. Liara surprisingly pulled away momentarily and grabbed Shepard's thigh to wrapped it around her waist, leaving the Commander exposed.

"Not so fast Commander, this is my present to you." Liara whispered seductively, and ever so gently nipped at Shepard's earlobe, her hands returning to the woman's breasts. Liara pinched Shepard's nipples, and the woman seemed to almost melt under the asari's hands.

"Liara…" Shepard almost whispered, and held onto the woman's back for dear life. Liara looked up so see her favorite shade of green, and melded with the Commander, just as she brought two fingers to the woman's clit. This sudden overload of sensation made both of the woman moan and twitch. Liara could feel the human's wetness on her fingers and gently rubbed the woman's sensitive area. Liara pressed her lips to Shepard's, trapping their moans between their kiss.

Shepard pulled the asari close, and just when the both of them could no longer stand Liara's foreplay, she pressed two fingers into the human's core. Shepard broke the kiss to claw at Liara's crest and mumble the asari's name. These combined sensations threw Liara into her own fit of sighs and light moans.

Liara started her thrusts slowly, and as her pace increased, so did Shepard's hold on her crest. As the women felt their orgasm approach, Shepard held the asari's face in her hands, their eyes meeting as they had the first time they ever made love.

Shepard stared into Liara's endless black gaze, and Liara lost herself in the Commander's infinite greens.

"Goddess!" Liara's eyes slammed shut only momentarily, and stared back at her lover as the women orgasmed together.

Liara rested her head uselessly on Shepard's collar. Shepard's thigh fell away from her waist, but Liara rested in the meld for many moments.

Shepard's usual sense of welcoming and comfort filled her mind. As the human recovered both in mind and body, Liara relished the protective, loving essence she gave.

Shepard traced circles on Liara's back, and the asari gazed back up at her.

"Best birthday present ever."

Liara laughed slightly, closing the meld and gazing up at Shepard.

"I'm glad you liked it, Commander."

Shepard gave Liara a gently kiss, and with their lips still brushing together, whispered an 'I love you'.

"I love you too, Shepard." Liara smiled.


	13. Chapter 10

Liara was awoken by the opening of her office doors, and jerked herself upward to find Jack in her cabin. The human gestured for Liara to follow her.

Liara glanced down at her daughter who was still sleeping next to her. The child's crest had just begun to develop its lower veins that stretched towards Normandy's shoulders.

Quickly Liara stepped off the bed and threw a jacket on. Jack led her out of the room, and they both stopped at the entrance to the outside world, which was dark and covered in gloom. Miles of agriculture spread into the distance, cicadas screamed in the peace.

"What is it Jack?" Liara glanced over at the woman. She hadn't noticed the small lines that would become wrinkles in the coming years between Jack's eyebrows, and the handful of grey that streaked Jack's now extremely long ponytail. She hadn't before noticed the fading of the woman's tattoo covered body. For a woman of 45, Jack had aged appropriately. Liara bite her lip.

She was running out of time.

"We have a problem. While the Normandy's solar power should be operational within the next three days, Grunt, EDI and I encountered a strange species hiding in the woods." Jack looked up at the asari, her brave face masked the worry in her deep and crackly voice, "They're a very aggressive canine species… The only way to describe them is that they look like wolves back on earth, only much bigger. And they're skin is coating in a sort of iron exoskeleton. Ammunition and tech attacks seem to bounce right off of them. The only thing that we can even scratch them with is biotics. We think there is a pack of maybe twenty."

Liara stared at the woman in horror so a moment.

"Goddess. As if we didn't have enough trouble. Can we still get the power working?"

"Yeah, EDI can do it herself and be just fine. But if a pack like that got into the Normandy…" Jack shook her head and sighed, "They'd destroy everything."

"Then we'll have to kill them before they get that close."

"Precisely. Grunt and EDI are talking to the remaining crew as we speak. In the morning, all of us biotics are setting out for a full day… or longer. However long it takes to kill every last one of them."

"… What about Normandy." Liara almost whispered.

"We need you in order to kill those things Liara. EDI, Joker, Garrus, Ashley and Kasumi are all staying behind. I'm sure they can take care of her, and evacuate with her if necessary."

"How are just the four of us, Miranda, Grunt, you and I… going to clear a whole pack?" Liara's grip on her own shoulders tightened.

What if they failed? What if Liara never came back to her green eyed daughter? What would that do to Normandy?

"We have no choice." Jack touched Liara's shoulder in a strangely comforting manner. "Listen, you are going to come back to Normandy… What you're thinking, we won't let happen."

Liara sighed and nodded.

"Okay, I understand Jack."

"Good. Now go and rest, you're going to need it for tomorrow." Jack went to leave and hesitated before proceeding.

Liara turned back towards her cab and silently slipped back into bed. Normandy was still fast asleep, and Liara wrapped an arm around her daughter, promising to never let go.

* * *

"But, I can go with you." Normandy whined and grabbed at Liara's leg. "Mommy! I'm ten years old! I can go with you!"

Liara sighed at looked down at the girl, who was currently attempting to use puppy dog eyes on her. Normandy was ten years old, and had the attitude of a human 3 year old.

"Normandy… no. You have to stay here, it's very dangerous and I need you safe." Liara knelt on the floor, holding the young girl's shoulders in a manner that was strangely familiar to her.

"But I want to help. I have biotics too!" Normandy raised her hands and Liara grabbed them.

"Not in the ship Normandy – remember!" Liara watched the child drop her arms guiltily. "My daughter, you are growing older and getting stronger, but I need you to stay here, and I really need you to do me a big favor, and protect Joker, and EDI, and the rest of the crew while I am away. Can you do that Normandy? For Mommy? Please?"

Liara watched a smile spread across the young asari's face.

"Yes Momma. I will stay and protect everyone! And we will all be safe, and happy!" Normandy yelled with excitement.

"Good." Liara kissed her daughter's forehead and stood, the child hugging her mother's knee.

"You're coming back- right?" Normandy looked up at her mother with the same bold emerald eyes Liara had always found home inside of.

"Normandy," Liara touched the child's face. "I will always come back to you. Now promise me that you'll listen to Ashley and EDI, and Joker. And that you will stay inside until I return."

"Yes Mommy." Normandy let go and stepped back, finding Joker and gluing herself to his side as usual.

"Don't worry Tsoni, we know, she eats three times a day, clean out the bowls afterwards and no scary movies." Joker smirked and looked down at the friend he had grown so close to.

"Alright are we done with all of the mushy stuff now?" Grunt mumbled from Liara's side, and with one last goodbye the four walked into the burning sun and towards the trees in the far distance.

"So, what are these things like?" Liara looked over at Jack, "Besides the small summary you gave me earlier."

"Mean, tough and hard as fuck to kill."

"Wonderful." Miranda puffed sarcastically from Jack's other side.

"Just like the good old days I suppose." Liara almost whispered as the group entered the thick forestry.

* * *

The four biotics had beed wandering the forest for almost twelve hours.

"Are you sure you actually saw these things?" Miranda broke a long silence and glared at Jack with exhaustion.

"Yes, princess and we are getting close to their den so I suggest you shut your trap." Jack sighed and jumped a few feet off a fallen log.

"Quiet!" Grunt suddenly ordered, and the entire group hushed.

Liara was the first to hear it.

A quiet scream that sent shivers up Liara's spine. That scream was seemingly familiar.

"Mother?" Liara whispered into the silence and stepped forward.

"No!" Jack whispered harshly and grabbed Liara's arm. "It's a trap Tsoni. I suppose I forgot to mention that."

"Mention what?" Liara tried to igniore the quiet scream that was still clawing at her ear.

"The yare highly adept biotics themselves, so much so, that they can read your mind, and tell what scares you the most. They will try to trick you. Hallucinations, hearing things that aren't there, feeling things that aren't there. You can't hesitate. Just kill."

"That's pretty hard to forget to mention don't you think?" Miranda gawked at the tattooed woman.

"BE QUIET!" Grunt whispered again, and the group hushed.

Liara could hear the screaming getting closer, and closer still. The louder the screams became, the more Liara wanted to step forward, and finally she took one step back. Silence again returning.

The group looked around, and for the first time Liara heard fear in Jack's whisper.

"Oh God."


	14. Chapter 10 (Continued)

The group looked around, and for the first time Liara heard fear in Jack's whisper.

"Oh God."

The entire squad looked where Jack was looking, and in the shadow of a single tree, two large red eyes and a malicious smile looked back at them. The creature stepped out of the shadows, opposable thumbs decorated by long claws gripped the boulder above Jack. The creature's wolfish face shined in the light, the iron exoskeleton acting as fur. The creature's long, cat like tail swing out from behind it, and the canine snarled. It seemed to laugh.

"Jack… what do we do?" Miranda whispered with horror.

Before the human could reply, the creature screamed.

When it did, Liara swore it sounded like Normandy screaming.

The shock sent tears down Liara's face, and confused her. The entire squad scrambled away from the creature as it jumped down from the boulder, five others followed behind, each bearing their shark – like teeth and snarling. The four biotics huddled together, confusion covering each of their faces.

"… Normandy." Liara whispered, and just like that she could picture the baby when she was first born, the warmth and comfort that she had to push out of her mind. She knew the texture of her skin. The green in her eyes. The way she smiled when she knew she was right. Liara looked up at the creatures and summoned the most powerful biotic warp she could muster. The pack alpha was thrown into the very tree it had entered from and yelped.

Just like that the rest of the squad was alive and fighting. Miranda captured two of the wolves in stasis, Jack raged forward and punched a creature in the jaw with such biotic force the massive things jaw snapped. Grunt rushed after her to help.

A sudden pain in Liara's shoulder made her cry out as she was lifted from the ground by a pair of teeth. The creature shook her once and Liara felt her bone crush under the force. When she landed on the ground again, she looked over to see Miranda battling with the creature that had picked her up. She snapped the creature's neck with a throw to the face.

Just as Liara gained her footing a creature screamed at her again, the terror of her child's yelp sending cold through her bones. The creature charged, and Liara threw it back with stasis, just as another creature jumped on her back. Liara pushed him off with warp and was about to smash his hideous face in when a hallucination turned the creature's face into the face of her lover. Shepard looked up at Liara with pleading green eyes, as if she was horrified.

"Liara?" The woman breathed in terror, and Liara hesitated just long enough for the creature to bite her arm. With the hallucination gone, rage returned to Liara and with the creature still on her forearm, Liara screamed at it, yanking it off of her with throw, and then hitting it with such a brutal blow that the creature fell onto a boulder, and it's head splattered over the rocks.

"Liara!" Someone yelled from behind her, and Liara turned around to see the face of her mother, staring back at Liara with huge, tear filled eyes. The older asari screamed at her. "You killed me Liara! YOU KILLED ME!"

Liara scrambled back on the rocks, tears pouring down her cheeks, blood oozing from her shoulder and arm.

"No… mother…" Liara reached out towards the woman, and when she touched her mother's cheeks she felt the odd sensation of fur.

"Its just a dream." Liara whispered, and sent as much biotic power as she could muster through her fingertips. She watched her mother's face disappear, and the creatures face which Liara held in her hands turned a sickly blue, as it fell onto the rocks, dead.

When Liara looked up, the remaining creatures lay dead across the rocks. Jack was staring at Liara with huge eyes, Miranda was crying over her blood filled hands, and Grunt was still smashing a dead creature with his bare hands.

After a long silence, Grunt stopped hitting the creature and the entire squad stared at each other.

"There's… more of these?" Liara asked Jack through sobs.

Jack nodded, a deadly numb look in her eyes.

Miranda wiped her hands on her pants and looked at Liara.

"Oh God Liara, you're hurt."

Liara looked over at her shoulder. She hadn't realized the bone was sticking out of her flesh sickeningly, and large teeth marks oozed with her purple blood.

"We have to get her back to camp." Jack barely mumbled as Miranda ripped her shirt to tourniquet Liara's wound, "We have to go now."

"What about those creatures, aren't there still more?" Liara held her forearm which was also bleeding heavily as Jack wrapped it with a spare cloth.

"We can't get rid of the rest of them with you bleeding out now can we?" Jack stated as the squad stumbled back to camp.

* * *

Liara limped towards the med bay, which Miranda had claimed as living space and sat on a table.

"Momma?" Normandy poked her head through the door as EDI walked in, and Joker touched her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Mom just needs a little patching up, come on kiddo." Joker lead the girl away from the bloody scene and Liara watched the child's eyes follow her the entire walk out of the med bay.

"Liara, we have no medi gel, and my databases claim that the only way to stop the bleeding with our current supplies would be by means of old fashioned cauterization." EDI looked at the woman with concern as Liara lay back on the bed.

"You're joking." Miranda gawked at the synthetic.

"No, that is all we have, any other typical procedure would increase possibility of infection greatly. These wounds are too deep." EDI stated helplessly, and looked at Liara with sympathy.

"Just do it already before she fucking bleeds out!" Jack yelled and Liara jumped, this sudden jerking causing a great pain in her injured arm. Liara yelped and the entire squad went silent only momentarily.

"Do it." Liara whispered, and EDI left for a few minutes, returning with a small metal rod. EDI used incinerate, letting the synthetic fire heat the rod until it was glowing.

"Do we have any painkillers?" Miranda asked in terror.

"We have none in stock, any natural painkillers on this planet are too far away, it would take hours to retrieve anything useful. By then it would be too late." EDI stopped the flame and approached Liara. "Doctor, you might want to hold on to something."

Jack knelt next to Liara, and Liara gripped the woman's hand, anticipating the pain she knew was coming.

"Someone will have to hold her down." EDI's words were sad and guilt filled.

Miranda flew to Liara's other side and held the asari in place.

"I'm sorry Liara."

"Just get it done with!" Jack yelled at EDI and looked down at Liara, who had turned to watch as EDI approached her shoulder with the heated rod. "Don't watch," Jack commanded and Liara turned away, slamming her eyes shut.

The room filled with the scent of burning flesh, a sizzling sound ringing out as the rod hit flesh.

Liara's body jerk against her will, her nails dug into Jack's skin and Liara's blood curdling scream filled the halls of the Normandy.

* * *

"Mommy, how long must we stay inside?" Normandy looked up at her mother who was sitting on the edge of the bed, re-wrapping her still healing shoulder. The entire squad had stayed inside for three days out of fear of the wolf creatures. Liara's wound needed to heal before the squad could attempt to hunt the creatures out of the territory again. The rest of the biotics didn't seem to mind, their own emotional wounds needed healing and strengthening as well.

"I do not know Normandy, We have to stay inside until Mommy and the rest of the biotics can get rid of all of the bad creatures." Liara touched the child's head softly when she finished wrapping her wound.

"That creature hurt you." Normandy frowned and looked up at her mother with concern.

"Its alright darling, I'll get better." Liara stated and turned away from the child to look for an item in her dresser.

"Mommy I want to go outside and catch that creature."

"Normandy, I need you to stay inside with me, its too dangerous." Liara continued to shuffle through the shelves.

"But mom, I want to go outside! I'm sick of being inside!"

"I understand Normandy, but I need you here with me, okay?" Liara closed the drawer in frusteration and rubbed her forehead. She sighed into the silence and turned around to face her daughter.

Only when she turned around, the little blue girl was nowhere in sight.  
She'd never answered Liara's question.

How long had Liara pondered in the silence before realizing her daughter was not in the room with her?

Ten minutes?

Half an hour?

"Normandy?" Liara called, a sudden panic running through her. Liara ran out of the cab, dashing through the halls, yelling Normandy's name. Other squad mates heard Liara's calls, and somehow instantly knew what was happening. Joker ran down the emergency stairs, and Ashley from the lower levels.

"She's not in the upper decks!" Joker panted, clutching his legs.

"She's not in the lower decks either!" Ashley cried, and Liara's heart dropped. The worried mother ran to the outside entrance, in just enough time to see her precious daughter disappear into the foliage.


	15. Chapter 11

"Normandy?" Liara called, a sudden panic running through her. Liara ran out of the cab, dashing through the halls, yelling Normandy's name. Other squad mates heard Liara's calls, and somehow instantly knew what was happening. Joker ran down the emergency stairs, and Ashley from the lower levels.

"She's not in the upper decks!" Joker panted, clutching his legs.

"She's not in the lower decks either!" Ashley cried, and Liara's heart dropped. The worried mother ran to the outside entrance, in just enough time to see her precious daughter disappear into the foliage.

Liara's heart stopped, as the little blue figure disappeared into an endless forest of greens.

Terror filled Liara, and without a second thought, she took off running with every strand of strength possible, she didn't realize that Ashley and Garrus had followed her, and were falling behind until Garrus yelled at her.

"Liara! We will split up, cover more ground!"

Liara didn't have time to reply, she didn't have time for anything but finding her daughter.

She couldn't lose her.

Not again.

Liara was staring out of the window of the SR1 Normandy, already armed and ready for the next mission. Garrus stood beside her, and they admired the murky green planet they'd just arrived in orbit of.

"So, how are you and Shepard Liara?" Garrus leaned against the window and crossed his arms in a haughty manner.

Liara smiled sweetly and stared at the infinite stars over the planet's horizon.

"Never been better, but we are always good. Remember Garrus?"

"So, when are we going to see a little blue one around these halls?" Garrus returned to staring out of the window.

"Ha! Maybe when the Reapers are defeated, and the entire universe isn't in danger." Liara smiled again and the two resumed a comfortable silence.

"What the fuck is that?" Garrus suddenly piped, and stared out of the window in what seemed to be utter terror.

Liara followed his eyes, and that is when she saw the biggest, and oddest looking form of space travel barreling towards them.

"Oh Godess…." Liara watched in terror as the vibrant yellow beam fired, and tumbled to the floor when the ship faltered.

Liara may have been in fear for her life, but she could only think of one thing.

Shepard.

Liara ran to Joker.

"Joker! We have to go!"

"No!" Joker almost screamed back at the asari, and with a heartbreaking quick decision, Liara grabbed her helmet an ran down to find her love.

The ship faltered again, and Liara shielded her eyes from the sudden flames that had begun devouring her home.

She watched her friends scream, and some fall, but she could not stop.

She needed to find Shepard, she could not loose Shepard, or goddess help her, she'd go down with her.

Liara breathed only a little when she reached her lover.

"Shepard!" Liara called, "Will the Alliance get here in time?"

Before Shepard could summon any sort of reply, the ship rocked and Liara struggled to maintain her footing, The Commander's strong hold on her arm forced her back to stability.

Instantly the Commander was on protect mode, and set to attempting to relieve the fire. Throwing Liara an extinguisher as she attempted to reassure the asari.

"The Alliance won't abandon us. We just need to hold on. Get everyone out onto the escape shuttles."

"Joker's still in the cockpit, he won't evacuate." Liara set to helping her lover, when a realization hit her. If Shepard couldn't get off this ship, Liara was going down with her. "I'm not leaving either."

Shepard stopped what she was doing and approached her. "I need you to get the crew onto the evac shuttles, I'll take care of Joker. "

Liara felt her heart crack the slightest. Shepard was right, the crew needed her, and it would be utterly immoral to risk the lives of innocent crew members for the sake of Liara's mental comfort.

Suddenly a small explosion threw Shepard back, and fear ran cold in Liara's veins. All she could do at this point was beg one last time, and then obey the Commander's orders.

"Shepard…" Liara felt her eyes water, and attempted to soak in one last photographic memory within the chaos. She failed.

"Liara. Go." The Commander turned, as if attempting to do the same, "Now."

With a heavy heart and weak knees, Liara held back the tears, and put on her best strong face.

"Aye, Aye." And with that Liara turned, helplessly and attempted to rally any crew members she could find.

"Everybody In! GO! GO! GO!" Liara yelled as a pod filled to the brim. She hesitated for only half of a moment before throwing herself into the pod and slamming the eject button.

Liara finally felt the tears fall from her cheeks, and stared at the last remaining pod, still glued to the Normandy's side. She watched the ship, and when it left her sight, she used the radio to stay connected to the last pod.

Silence and her own breath were her only comfort as she waited. The Normandy slowly drifted out of her sight as the pod began it's descent.

Finally the silence was broken by the radio chatter.

"Pod five ejected."

Liara slammed the radio button.

"Shepard!" Liara cried out, and silence returned to her, she heard a faint crying. "Shepard?"

"… No Liara… Shepard… She didn't make it."

The words made Liara choke, and the tears fell steadily off her cheeks. Liara started into her own gloved hands and allowed the world to come crashing down on her.

"No… NO!" Liara pulled her knees close to her chest.

"I'm… I'm sorry Liara." Joker whispered on the other end.

Liara closed her eyes, attempting to open the meld, and to her dismay, the other line had been cut.

"…Shepard…"


	16. Chapter 11 (Continued)

Liara tore through the forest, Her head on a constant pivet, her legs never stopping, her heart racing.

"Normandy!" Liara screamed as loud as she could.

Trees blurred to her sides, the ground became nothing but an obstacle, and Liara ran until she knew she shouldn't be able to feel her legs anymore. The night had started getting cold, what had Normandy been wearing when she felt? Was she cold? Hurt? Lost? It wasn't until then that Liara remembered the enemy that was lurking in the forest, and she screamed Normandy's name again, just as she tripped over a large fallen tree and was thrown into the forest floor.

A split second later Liara heard the very same exact noise she had heard three days before.

Normandy's scream echoed in the distance.

Liara jumped to her feet and darted towards the sound, her baby was in trouble and she was going to fucking kill anything that was causing her pain.

Liara saw the peck of blue, backed against a ginormous tree, and to Liara's terror, she watched as one of the wolf creatures they had encountered earlier closed in for the kill.

The toddler screamed again, and fell on her back, just as Liara jumped off the ledge she was looking down from, and slammed into the creature with the most powerful burst of biotics she could have ever managed. The beast tumbled back and yelped. Liara turned to Normandy.

"Mommy!" The child reached out to her mother, tears streaming down her face and clutched Liara.

Liara picked her up, looking back at the creature who was standing back up. With a loud crash, Liara watched as more creatures closed in on the pair. Liara counted in horror as nine creatures surrounded them.

"Mommy." Normandy looked up at her mother with teary green eyes. "I'm scared."

Liara stared back into the child's eyes, soaking in their infinite beauty.

"Don't be scared my darling." Liara created a barrier between them and the creatures, watching as the creatures flung themselves on to the biotic screen. Liara had to set her daughter down to reinforce their protection, and prayed to the goddess that Garrus and Ashley would come to the rescue in time.

A creature snarled and threw its teeth against the barrier. Normandy screamed and held onto her mother's leg with all of her strength, this only fueling Liara's slowly diminishing barrier. She knew she couldn't keep it up much longer, and just when she thought she wasn;t going to be able to hold for another minute, the creatures backed away, and howled.

Biotics of a strength unknown to Liara blasted Liara's barrier, and instantly shattered it.

Liara looked back at her daughter with tears, and pure, absolute terror.

"Normandy – RUN!" Liara watched the little girl's heart break, as she turned to run. Liara turned her head to four creatures lunging at her. A narrow, and luck dodge saved her, and another creature took off after Normandy. Liara ran after it, and just as the creature was gaining on her daughter, Liara hit the thing with warp, and sent it flying into a tree. She looked and found two more in its place, using the small amount of energy she had left to hit them with enough singularity to blast them into the distance. Liara turned to again follow her daughter when a creature jumped out of the brush to her side and pinned her to the ground.

Liara grabbed the huge thing's throat and while large, unnatural teeth snapped in her face she summoned what she could to her palms, and used the energy to strangle the thing.

The creature fell to the side with a loud heave and an agonized choking sound. Liara scrambled, again bolting in the direction of her daughter. Just as she reached the girl, another enemy caught her from behind, using its opposable thumbs to pick Liara up off the ground and slam her back down, hard.

Liara's vision blurred and she felt blood rush to her head, she could barely see Normandy, who was only a few feet in front of her stop and turn around.

"Momma!"

"Normandy…" Liara whispered, choking on the blood in her throat, "Run… Run baby… run…"

But the child did not hear her and stepped forward, picking up a rock and throwing it at the creature. The thing snarled and two more creatures became visible through the jungle vines behind Normandy, they crept forward on the unsuspecting toddler, who was still throwing rocks.

Liara tried to stand up, and as she did the creature wrapped a strong hand around her neck, pinning her and starting to suffocate her.

Liara was helpless, and grief overcame her.

She had failed her daughter.

And now they were both going to die.

A creature lurked over Normandy and growled, Liara watched her child whip around the face the monster, and again heard the nightmare-ish scream of her most prized possession.

Liara started to feel her world fade, when out of nowhere the pressure from her throat was uplifted. The asari gasped for air and forced herself to her feet, snatching her child by the waist and preparing for either battle, or death, she didn't care, she started to herd Normandy away, when suddenly from behind her a huge wave of biotics threw the creatures backwards. One snapped it's neck on a tree, the other returned to it's feet, only to be warped yet again. The creature's head hit the rocks with a sickening crack.

At that second, Liara didn't care about how the creatures died, they were just gone, and her daughter was safe. Liar apicked the girl up and held her so tight she was afraid of breaking her. The asari cried and picked the girl up.

Normandy sobbed into Liara's shirt and held onto her mother with every last ounce of energy.

"Mommy… I'm sorry… I'm sorry... Mommy…"

Liara hushed the girl, reassuring her, and then she finally looked up over her toddler's shoulders, and was greeted by a pair of devilish red, tinted silver eyes. The person standing over her towered a good eight feet in height, and glared down at the mother and daughter. Locks of human – like hair fell over his face, and a black mask covered the lower half of his face. She couldn't for the life of her, pin what species the person was.

"Who are you?" Liara whispered, and just then Normandy cried out and moaned, "What is it, what's wrong?" Liara set the girl on the ground and looked down. Yet again, Liara's body became still with terror as purple oozed out of the toddler's stomach.

"Oh goddess Normandy!" Liara began scrambling, tearing her shirt to tourniquet the wound.

The gloomy figure knelt on the other side of Normandy, and a voice like silk boomed out of the mask.

"I will help." The figure stated, his eyes never really moving, and his voice never faltering. It was not a question, but a statement, and the man retrieved some med-gel from his black and blue armor.

"You have medi-gel, Thank the Goddess." Liara sighed in relief, "You're going to be just fine Normandy." Liara held her daughter's face in her palm momentarily while the unknown man patched Normandy's wounds.

"You saved us. Thank you." Liara looked up at the figure gratefully, and he did not reply, he only stood when the job was done. Liara again picked up her daughter, who was now also staring at the unknown figure. She was weak and weary, and her knee almost gave out just from standing.

"You are weak. Let me." The figure gestures to Normandy, and Liara glared at him for a long minute.

"Can I trust you?"

The figure again, never flinched or hesitated.

"Yes."

Slowly Liara handed over Normandy, who looked at her mother, and then at the figure with concern. The boy held the child with an uncertain gentleness, as if he hadn't touched another being in many centuries.

"Your camp is this way."

The lurking figure stepped forward, and Liara followed, reluctant to ask any questions, despite them needing to be asked.

"Why do you wear a mask?" Normandy asked, with again no reply.

The trio walked, Liara more or less stumbling, for many miles in silence. Normandy spouted off a question about once every five or ten minutes.

"Why is your hair only part white?"

"How does that thingy on your face light up?"

"Do you have a ship named after you too?"

"Where do you live?"

"Why is your body covered in hard stuff?"

Just as the group emerged from the forest, the figure looked at Liara.

"She talks too much."

Liara shrugged, "It seems as if you don't talk enough."

"What is your name?" Normandy pried as the figure strutted across the field, towards the ship.

"Cyber."


End file.
